The NBA's Trade Deadline has come and gone this week. Usually during this time, teams are usually trying to acquire big names that will slingshot them into contention for the Finals. Yet this years goal was simple, get rid of those big contracts and in return get expiring ones. 2010's Free Agency list will include names such as Dwayne Wade, and Lebron James to be short without including talent like Chris Bosh or possibly Amare Stoudamire.  This week the Kings parted ways with Kevin Martin and were expected to be returned with Tracy Mcgrady. When Mcgrady's agent was not happy with where his client was going he vouched for a three team trade that included the Knicks, where Mcgrady eventually

Academy Award season is here. On March 7, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present the winners with an Oscar, one of the world's most famous and coveted statues. Categories include Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. A lesser known category is for short films, animated and live action. The Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., is showing the Oscar-nominated shorts through Feb. 25. Each program, animated and live action, lasts about one and a half hours. The animated program contains five Oscar-nominated shorts and three bonus shorts. They aren't just pen and pencil animation; claymation and computer animation also are included. "This is great," said attendee Maggie

 The Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Sacramento is closing its doors after 12 years. The restaurant was an anchor of the troubled Westfield Downtown Plaza, and is the latest casualty of the poor economy, said Mayor Kevin Johnson. "The Hard Rock closing certainly reflects what is going on with this country and state. It's hitting us very hard," Johnson said at a press conference Friday. "We haven't hit bottom and we haven't come out of it yet, and that's very difficult for all of us." Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said he just heard about the closing Thursday. "We are disappointed," he said. "Hard Rock is an iconic property. The destination it repre

After months of delay, officials say the K Street renovation project is on course for completion. The streetscape renovation includes the installation of intersection and gateway elements, lighting, landscaping and benches through the 700 block of K Street. According to project details posted by the city's Economic Development Department, the project is aimed to enhance the aesthetics and safety of the block, as well as provide for better pedestrian accessibility and increased connectivity. The makeover, a joint undertaking of the city and Sacramento Regional Transit, was projected to be completed in November, in time for the holidays. However, construction delays forced the Midtown B

Campaign contributions to City Council candidates are not a secret. Citizens can access information about contributions online at the city of Sacramento’s Electronic Filing System. The city has published campaign contributions online since 2002, said Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno. In a Nov. 5 story, The Sacramento Press provided a guide to the city’s online system. Since then, the city clerk’s office has changed its website. “The navigation is a little bit different,” Mizuno said. To help the public understand the changes, The Sacramento Press is publishing the following updated guide to the online system. The city clerk’s website now has two separate links that connect you to

Over the last few years, the term "hip hop is dead," has been thrown around more than the neighborhood football. In an age of technology where making a simple beat with a bootlegged audio production application and altering your voice with Auto-Tune in order to sound like T-Pain is enough to get "bedroom rappers/producers/djs" signed, it's no wonder people are beginning to feel like the art is lost. While most people are tossing around this insult to hip hop, few are offering any sort of solution. I say few, because there are some purists out there who are putting in the effort, energy and time to study where hip hop started, where it has been and where it is going. He calls for somethin

Here are some of the concerts and music events happening this weekend and next week in the Sacramento area. For more detailed information on these events and many more go to the www.eMusiConnect.com homepage. Get out and enjoy!! Concerts, Music Events, and The Sacramento Music Scene This Week: Sacramento Ballet presents Nine Sinatra Songs Thursday, February 11th – Sunday, February 14th at Sacramento Community Center Theatre. Tickets are $15 - $68. Saturday, February 13th: Super 90’s Love Jam with Aaron Hall – Al B. Sure – H-Town – Jon B at Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are $48.50 - $68.50. Saturday, February 13th: 2Nd Saturday features special music & art events at galleries,

The City of Sacramento halted efforts to mount Old Soul Co. sign Thursday morning. Oak Park, Sacramento, CA February 11, 2010 Excited patrons of the new Old Soul Co. location in Oak Park were eager to see the iconic glistening new sign ready to go up Thursday morning and so was the crew. That eagerness was squelched when a call came to the Alpha Signs' crew, from the city, to halt. The building at 35th and Broadway is a historical building and though the old Starbucks sign was in the same location, the city won't allow the sign installers to drill new holes in the historic bricks nor is the sign allowed to have any exposed electrical cable. Furthermore, the city wants the sign above the

A local group that watches public funds hopes to take its complaints over utilities rates to the polls.  The Sacramento County Taxpayers League's new ballot proposal seeks to stop a 9.2 percent city utilities rate increase scheduled to start in July.  The proposal follows a Jan. 6 grand jury report saying that the city’s use of utilities funds may conflict with Proposition 218, a state law that dictates how city funds should be used.  The grand jury report claims that money collected from residents' utility bills may have been used to fund other municipal programs. Prop. 218 states that cities can use funds from utilities bills in one way: to cover the costs of delivering utilities servi

Chances are you’ve heard of Etsy. It’s the world’s most expansive marketplace for handmade and vintage items. With neighborhood networks and a shop-local function, Etsy is revolutionizing the way people shop online. I spoke to artist and team leader of SactoMetro Etsy Street Team, Marianne Bland, about her team of local artists and craftsmen representing the Sacramento area on Etsy.com   Tell me about Sacramento’s Etsy Team SactoMetro Etsy Street Team has soap makers, painters, people making spiritual items, fine art…just a huge variety of items. We have people doing it to supplement jobs, full-timers, mothers at home school… It's an interesting group of people trying to help each other

Mayor Kevin Johnson’s latest strong mayor proposal drew strong reactions from a councilwoman and members of the public even though it was not officially on the City Council agenda. Johnson’s new strong mayor package was taken off the agenda Tuesday night without explanation from city officials. Even though the proposal was pulled from the meeting, the council heard comments from several members of the public, pro and con. Then, Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy spoke of her opposition to Johnson’s plan. “I think the entire city is suffering from a case of strong mayor fatigue,” she said, adding that the city needs to stop focusing on the issue of a strong mayor form of government. Sheedy sugge

The Pixies are touring in 2010 … in Australia and Antwerp, Belgium.   If you don’t intend to be in those places and still are kicking yourself for missing the West Coast leg of the Pixies’ 20th anniversary “Doolittle” Tour last in November, all is not lost.   Pixies front man, Charles Thompson a.k.a. Black Francis, will be showing off the growl behind epic hits “Where Is My Mind?” and “Debaser” in a solo acoustic show at the Blue Lamp this weekend.   Black Francis’ music is characterized by recurring biblical references and a folksy country sound. He cites Iggy Pop, Husker Du, The Beach Boys and The Velvet Underground as major influences.   Black Francis, formerly Frank Black, rele

Break out the yarmulkes. It is time to celebrate the Sacramento Jewish Film Festival's Bar Mitzvah year with its 13th annual Crest Theatre screening. In 1997, volunteer coordinator Margi Park-Landau teamed up with Crest Theatre manager Sid Heberger to institute the first screening. The turnout was overwhelming. According to Heberger, now co-director of the festival, the range of this year’s selections were chosen to represent the diversity of Jewish culture. “The selection process involves looking at other Jewish film festivals from around the globe," she said. "We accept submissions and we also receive titles from film companies around the world including several out of Israel.” “We

Tuesday night's City Council meeting featured dancing, cheering and even crying. The excitement anticipated the City Council's unanimous vote for the area on Stockton Boulevard between between Riza Avenue and Fruitridge Road to be named Little Saigon. Councilman Kevin McCarty, whose district includes the one-and-a-half-mile stretch of Little Saigon, proposed the vote to the City Council in January after months of public input from South Sacramento business owners and community members. It's now the city's inaugural cultural district. Starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, hundreds of Vietnamese and supporters of the campaign for Little Saigon began filling the city council chamber for a pre-council

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner. If you also have a crotchety dog who bites your friends, a television with a butt, or an aversion to sharing your beer, check out some of these spots on game day. Hilltop Tavern (4757 Folsom Blvd.) is hosting its second annual Super Bowl Sunday Mac-and-Cheese-Off, where local contestants will be bringing their best dishes to the bar for sampling. INK Eats & Drinks (2730 N St.) is offering 25-cent wings, $1 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers and $3 drafts. Mikuni's (1530 J St.) is offering a Super Bowl Sunday prize raffle and all-you-can-eat sushi buffet. Adult tickets cost $30, senior tickets (+55) cost $20. Old Tavern (1510 20th St.) is hosting a Supe

With unemployment rising and private college tuition skyrocketing, more and more people are returning to school at all ages. Sacramento State and Sacramento City College have both seen an increase in enrollment despite an increase in fees. Sacramento State's fees were raised $672 per year. Increased fees doesn't equal a better education. After reaching a compromise with the Board of Trustees, the California State University Employee's Union approved 24 furlough days school wide. These days are designated under the direction of President Alexander Gonzalez and each department head. With eight campus-wide furlough days, the entire school shuts down. Students are unable to inquire about fin

News Analysis City Manager Ray Kerridge oversees a city government that is struggling with major controversies in its Community Development and Utilities departments. Council members are reacting to claims in a Jan. 6 grand jury report that the city may be breaking Proposition 218, a state law that mandates how city funds are used. City officials are also confronting findings from an investigation into the department’s approval last year of 35 permits in a Natomas flood zone. The offices of the city attorney and city manager note in a recent report that the department broke federal rules by approving the permits. The report lists new issues, including possible violations of city planni

We have made a significant change to our contributor agreement. This is the agreement between The Sacramento Press and volunteer contributors who write articles. The major change is that originally our agreement was structured like a newspaper or magazine. It gave The Sacramento Press an exclusive right to the articles published on The Sacramento Press. Now we share a nonexclusive right with all of our writers. They can remix, use, or even sell their work as they wish. Original: In consideration of the availability of the website to post your contribution, you hereby grant to us the sole and exclusive right (including any moral rights) and license throughout the world to produce, adapt,